Button switch



Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J'. KLEIN, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

This invention relates to an improved button switch and seeks to provide a device of this character wherein the construction and mounting of the parts will, from the standpoint of feasibility of manufacture, be extremely simplified for thus rendering manufacture inexpensive while, `at the same time, retaining entire efficiency of operation.

The invention further seeks to provide a device wherein the button actuated spring contact employed will have a wiping action against .its coacting contact.

And the invention still further seeks to provide a device embodying a novel spring contact and associated terminals as well as a novel mounting for said parts.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view through my improved button switch,

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the parts disassembled but in proper relative position, andv Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ a substantially hemi-spherical shell 10 having an annular base flange 11 at the periphery of which is an annular downturned lip 12. Axially the shell is pressed in as indicated at 13, 4and formedwith'a central opening, and slidable through said opening is a button 14. As best shown in Figure 1, the button comprises a sheet metal. shell formed at its base with an annular iange and turned over saidflange is a bottom plate 15 closing the shell, an annular shoulder 16 being thereby produced to engage the shell 10 for limiting the button in its outward movement through the shell.'`

In conjunction with the shell 10 I provide a cross plate 17 whichyis formed centrally with an oblong opening 18 and is pressed in from the upper sidethereof at said opening to define an oblong frame 19 angle shaped in cross section. At the ends of the frame, the plate is offset to form arcuate shoulders 20 from which extend flanges 21l terminating in downturned lips 22. Fitting in the frame 19 of the cross plate 17 1s an insulating strip 23. This strip may be of ber or other approved insulating material and, as brought out in Figure 3, the side V,flanges of the frame are bent over against Application inea July 21,

BUTTON SWITCH. g

1924. Serial No. 727,258.

the upper face of the strip, asindicated at 24,' for binding the strip in the frame. At one end, the strip is, as brought out in F igure 2, provided with a notch 25 while at a point centrally thereof the strip is formed with a transversely disposed oblong slotl Formed onv the side edges of the terminal are lugs 33 which are received through the pair'of slots 28 of the strip and, as shown in Figure 3, are bent overV against the upper side of the strip `for rigidly connecting the terminal therewith. Screwed through said terminal is a binding screw 34 accommodated in the opening 27 of the strip. Freely accommodated through the notch 25 of the strip is a spring contact 35 provided at one end with a lug 36 overlying the lower face of the strip, As brought out in Figure 1. the contact inclines toward its free end upwardly away from the upper face of the strip and is'bent near its free extremity to form a downturned tongue 37 accommodated in the slot 26. Overlying the lug 36 of the contact is a sheet metal terminal y38` and formed on the-side edges of said terminal are lugs 39 which are received through the slots 30 of the strip 23 and bent over against the upper side of said strip for rigidly connecting said terminal as well as the spring contact 35 with the strip. Screwed through the said terminal is a binding screw 40 lwhich extends freely through the lug 36 of the spring contact and is accommodated Vin the opening 29 of the insulating strip.

minal 38. Preferably, the terminals and the spring contact are first mounted on the insulating strip 23 when the insulating strip is assembled upo-n the cross plate 171 Y The button 24 is then mounted upon the shell 10, when the cross plate is assembled upon the shell. plate is of a length to extend diametrically of the shell, fitting therein,when the spring contact 35 is disposed to bear against the inner end of the button 14, yieldably holding the .button at the limit of its outward movement upon the shell. As illustrated, the shoulders 20 of the cross plate 17 are disposed to extend withinthe shell fitting against the curved wall thereof so that the lianges V21 of the plate seat flat against the flange 11v of the shellwhile'the lips 22 of the'plate lit within the lip 12 of the shell abutting the-reagainst. The iianges 21 kof the vplate are provided withopenings 41 and punched Yfrom thepiange 11 of the shell are eyelets 42 which extend through said kopenings and are upset against the flanges 21 for rigidly connectingthe cross plate with the shell. As shownin Figure 1, the eyelets 42 are of. a diameter to freely receive A`screws or other suitable fastening devices 43 securing the device'upona wallor other surface against which it is desired to mount the device. Y Y

The .binding screws 34 and 40 are, of course, provided so that circuit wires may, as suggested in Figure 1, be connected with the terminals Bland 38. Accordingly, as

willl be seen in View of the foregoing, theA button 14 may be depressed for flexing the free end of the spring Contact 35 through the slot 25 of the insulating strip 23 to engage /the Contact 32 and close a circuit through said contacts. As the spring contac-t 35 is thus flexed, the tongue 37' thereof will, as will be seen, ride over the inclined Contact 32 with a wiping action so that the cooperating surfaces of the contacts will be maintainedclean and bright.

Having thus described the invention, what I. claim is n 1. In an electricswitch, the combination of an insulating stripV having an ope-ning, a Contact extending at one side of the strip beneath said opening, and a spring contact fixed at one end upon the strip at said side thereof and shaped to extend at its free end at the opposite side of the strip over said opening, the free end of the spring contact As shown in Figure 1, the crossV the free end.v ofi the spring Contact being ymovable through Said opening to engage the former contact.

3. In an electric switch, the combination of an insulating strip havingl an opening and provided with a notch at one end thereof, a contact fixed to the strip at one side,

thereof and extending beneath said opening, and a spring contact fixed to the strip at said side thereof and shaped to extend through said notch at the opposite side of the strip over said opening, the free end of the spring contact being movable through said opening to engage the former contact. p

4. In an electric switch,L the combination of a shell open at one end and having a radial b-ase flange provided witha downturned lip, an oblong apertured plate extend-V to fit said flange and lip, means engaging the offsets of the .plate and-securing thel plate to the shell, an insulating strip overlying the aperture in the plate and provided with an opening, fixed and movabley contacts `carried by lthe strip to extend at opposite sides thereofabove and below said opening, and a button mounted upon the shell for iexing the lng across the open end of the shell and offset movable contact through said opening Vto.

engage the fixed Contact.

5, In an electric switch, they combination i of a shell open at one end, a stationary insulating strip mounted in the open end of the shelland provided with an opening, contacts mounted onl the lower side of the strip, one of said contacts extending beneath said opening and the other contact eX- tending above thestrip over said opening, and la push button carried by the shell for shiftingthe latter contact through Said openl in p to engage the formercontact`v n testimony whereof I Yaiix my signature.

WILLIAM J. KLEIN. [as] 

